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WORLD NEWS Friday 14 december 2018

Top al-Shabab defector-turned-Somalia candidate is arrested

By ABDI GULED gional president’s resi- ly popular in the Southwest
Associated Press dence in Baidoa, accord- region. Robow’s contro-
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — ing to witnesses. The region- versial campaign exposed
The former No. 2 leader of al candidates had been the rift between Somalia’s
Somalia’s al-Shabab ex- summoned for a meeting federal government based
tremist group, who is now there. Somali police ac- in Mogadishu and the re-
a top candidate in a re- companied Ethiopian sol- gional government.
gional election next week, diers in the arrest, officials Worried about Robow’s
was arrested on Thursday, said. popularity, the federal gov-
prompting violent protests Gunfire erupted in Baidoa ernment had sent at least
in which four people were as Robow’s supporters pro- one high-level official to
killed, officials said. tested his arrest. try to persuade him to step
Mukhtar Robow, once Armed militias thought to aside.
al-Shabab’s spokesman, be linked to Robow were “I was asked to relinquish
was arrested by Ethiopian seen on the streets, said my candidacy but I’m tell-
troops that are part of the police Col. Ahmed Abdi. ing you that ... I will be run-
African Union peacekeep- At least four people were ning for president,” Robow
ing forces supporting So- killed, including an Ethio- told supporters in October.
malia’s federal govern- In this Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 file photo, Mukhtar Robow, who pian soldier, in the clash- “With the help of God, we
was once deputy leader of Africa’s deadliest Islamic extremist
ment, Nur Ahmed, an elec- group the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, speaks at a press es between troops and will win and peace will win.”
toral official in Southwest conference about his candidacy for a regional presidency, in armed men thought to be The U.S. military’s Africa
state, told The Associated Baidoa, Somalia. Robow’s supporters, Abdi command, which carried
Press. Associated Press said. The Ethiopian army out operations against al-
The arrest could re-ignite Robow’s arrest, citing the defection last year from al- deployed tanks and hun- Shabab alongside Somali
old tensions between So- federal government’s ear- Shabab, Africa’s most ac- dreds of soldiers in Baidoa and AU forces, said it was
malia and neighboring lier ban on his candidacy tive extremist group, and is following the fighting, he aware of the reports of Ro-
Ethiopia. and alleging that he had now running to be region- said. bow’s arrest.
Robow was flown from failed to renounce extrem- al president of Southwest The lanky, bearded Robow The arrest was criticized
Baidoa to the capital, ist ideology. The statement state in elections sched- last year had a $5 million by Rashid Abdi, an analyst
Mogadishu, said a Somali also accused Robow of uled for Dec. 19. His de- bounty on his head, of- with the International Crisis
intelligence official, who mobilizing armed forces fection was welcomed by fered by the U.S. govern- Group.
spoke on condition of ano- to threaten the security of Somalia’s government, but ment, but the reward was “A thoroughly daft move
nymity because he was not Baidoa. not his candidacy, which dropped before he defect- on part of the Ethiopians,”
authorized to speak to the There was no immediate appeared to take some of- ed from al-Shabab. said Abdi in a tweet. “They
media. comment from Ethiopia or ficials by surprise. Although he is blamed for have now made him a
In a statement, Somalia’s the AU force, AMISOM. The Ethiopian soldiers ar- directing much of the reb- martyr; increased his popu-
security ministry confirmed Robow made a high-profile rested Robow at the re- els’ violence, he is general- larity even more.”q